AMERICAN Mike looks like spearheading a big team for Gordon Elliott in the Bar One Racing Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan next weekend.

Always highly regarded, he has yet to really back up the promise he showed when second to Facile Vega in the 2022 Champion Bumper.

He did beat Fact To File on his chasing debut at Navan’s big two-day meeting last season but, while that rival went on to prove himself as one of the best novice chasers around, American Mike’s form tailed off.

As a result he has a handicap mark of 145 and Elliott wants to make use of that with a fresh horse in a race he loves to dominate.

“I’m a Meath man so I love coming to Navan,” he said. “For me it’s one of the best tracks in the country. We like starting our good horses off at either Down Royal or Navan. It’s a very fair track, the best horse usually wins and we are very lucky it is on our doorstep.

“On his day American Mike is very good. He runs well fresh and he’s probably just crying out for a bit of rain if the ground stays the way it is. He’s in good form, he is either hot or cold but looks well at the moment. We’ve been thinking of this race for a while, we’ll try him fresh. He ticks a lot of boxes, so we’re hoping the good American Mike turns up.”

As usual, Elliott expects to be well represented in a race he has won six times previously, but perhaps not quite as strong numerically as in recent years due to the prevailing quick ground.

He said: “Coko Beach and Delta Work are probably doubtful runners, Zanahiyr will more than likely run but - like a lot of these ex-flat horses - you just wonder about them in big fields. On his run in the Galway Plate he’d have a chance but he just hasn’t backed it up.

“Three Card Brag probably won’t run because of the ground, Chemical Energy will run, Favori De Champdou needs a bit of rain, Gevrey needs rain, The Goffer will run, Fakir d’Alene will run, Riaan will love the ground but he’s just not an out-and-out three miler. If the ground stays good he’s got an each-way chance. Stuzzikini could run as well. I’ll probably run between eight and 10.”

Kennedy’s choice

Jack Kennedy would usually have the tricky choice of choosing which one to ride but this year he already knows.

“I’d say I’ll be riding American Mike,” the champion jockey reported. “He’s good fresh, he loves it around Navan and he has a nice weight.

“He can give you an unbelievable feel, like when he won the Ten Up last year. When he’s on-song he gives you some feel, he jumps very well and is a horse with loads of ability.

“I was 16 when I won the Troytown on Riverside City, he was my first winner over fences and I had a treble as well, it was an unbelievable day.”

Nice prospects

Regarding some of his nicer prospects for the rest of the meeting, Elliott said: “I’m hoping Wingmen will run in the race Stellar Story won last year. He’s won at the Punchestown Festival, he’s a point-to-point winner and he jumps well. We’ll have others entered, but at the moment he’s the one I have in mind for it.

“He’s a handful at home, he was almost unrideable, but he’s got a massive engine. He’s settled down at home and has got stronger. His form at Punchestown was top level.

“We’re probably a bit light at the top end with the main horses, but we’re strong enough with the novices. We’ve a lot of good owners who keep buying the new horses.

“Qualimita ran well in third behind a nice mare of Gavin’s (Cromwell) last year (Only By Night) and we put her away. She jumps very well and could be top class this year. She could run in the mares’ race.

“I was delighted with The Yellow Clay at Down Royal and he’ll have the option of the For Auction Novice Hurdle. He’s a horse I really like, he’s got a great attitude, he does nothing fancy at home but has a massive engine.”